Thursday, January 19, 2006

Cashew Butter Sandwiches

I had both white and spelt bread today, so I made two matching cashew butter and organic strawberry jam sandwiches, cut out with a large biscuit cutter. I also packed some baby carrots with vegan ranch dip, and we decided to give baby bananas a try for the first time. Here's something else new: Barbara's Snackimals Oatmeal Wheat-Free Cookies. I wasn't sure if these were vegan ("natural flavor" is so vague) until I saw them for sale over at Food Fight Grocery, an all-vegan grocery store I desperately want to visit someday. Beverage: plain fortified soy milk.Verdict: These baby bananas were the perfect fit for the lunch box and tasted just like their bigger brothers. He didn't like the brown half-a-banana I packed him once, so baby-size was the way to go. I think he could have eaten two, though. With no horrifying crusts to deal with, every bit of the sandwich and everything else was completely consumed. 4 stars.

Come visit Food Fight! Then we'd get to see you! :-) Hibi's been talking about making a visit your way. I think she wants to sample some of your yummy vegan cooking. Poor thing, she's the only vegan in an otherwise vegetarian family.....

Though, I have to say. We didn't see food products in Food Fight that we couldn't have picked up in a well-stocked natural food store. But I suppose it's partly the attitude. :-) Hibi actually spotted it first as we were driving around--we were looking at a house to rent just, like, a quarter mile from there. But we didn't get it so she can't walk there. :-(

Hey, Leslie -- Those sprouts don't look like a disaster to me, I think you did great! I would have browned them a bit more at the start, but they look good. Honest! Since you haven't had them before, maybe you just need to get to know them a bit better and get used to them, or maybe they're just not your veggie. :-)

Since both Brussels sprouts and Food Fight Grocery came up on this thread, I thought it might be somewhat almost on-topic to share my foolproof method for cooking them:

1. Buy some vegetarian oyster sauce (from Food Fight, or wherever. In case you're wondering, I think 'oyster' means 'oyster mushroom' in the vegetarian case) 2. Steam brussels sprouts (I use the rice cooker). You can use a fork to tell if they're soft enough. They took ~15-20 minutes in my rice cooker total but that includes the time it took for the water to heat up, so in a standard steamer maybe 10 minutes.3. Mix ~1/4c oyster sauce with 2 T. white vinegar (wine, rice, whatever), 1/2 t. sugar, and a few dashes of soy sauce. 4. Toss sprouts in sauce.

I love this oyster sauce stuff because I can add this type of sauce to sprouts, kale, and all things brassicish or cabbagey, and my husband will actually eat them. It's saved our winter CSA subscription. (my husband will wolf down anything laced with MSG, embarrassingly enough.)

Oh to clarify above I use veggie bacon in that recipe I just linked to! There's no need for the extra first 10 minute baking then, at least with the type of veggie bacon I use.

I use Everyday Food a lot because so many of their recipes are fast and easy (why doesn't someone make a veggie magazine like this?). At this point my mind substituts vegan things for ingredients as I'm reading!

vegan foodfight is amazing, from what i've heard. a friend of mine who lives in portland is just taken-aback at how amazing it is.

i'm not sure if you actually get a chance to reply to these, but i was curious as to if you have raised your son vegan his entire life? i would like to do this when i have a child but there is not a ton of info out there about it...

Thanks Jennifer. I am going to try them again, for sure with more browning. Thanks for looking and helping me out. I liked how "cute" they were and the flavor of your recipe, but maybe I just need to keep trying again.

Re oyster sauce: Well, I just looked and it has 'mushroom flavor' in it, which is probably what gives it that flavor. I would guess this contains natural glutamic acid. (Personally I don't buy all the health concerns with that, but I know people who are convinced their consumption of glutamic acid causes health problems and have cut things like seaweeds out of their diet because of it.)

I'm not a nut butter person, except for peanut butter, but I am wondering if it is cheaper to grind your own vs buying it already in butter form. It also sounds like something that might be cheaper bought in quantity, although I suspect it would then have to be frozen, since oils can go rancid.

We have a big freezer in our basement, so I buy whole nuts in bulk when they are on sale and store them in the freezer. I take them out and let them thaw, then grind small batches. I don't know how well they would freeze after being made into butter, though.

Toss together Brussels sprouts, oil, and salt and pepper to taste in an 11- by 7-inch baking pan and spread in 1 layer. Place sprig of herb on top of sprouts.

Roast in upper third of oven, stirring once halfway through roasting, until sprouts are brown on edges and tender, about 25 minutes total. Remove the herbs and serve.

Options: (1) Add toasted walnuts on top just before serving. (2) Replace the garlic with quartered sweet onions and apples (I like Granny Smith the best), increase oil to lightly coat all items, roast, and then serve with a squeeze of fresh Meyer’s lemon juice on top.

Food Fight! is awesome. While you can find most of the stuff at a natural food store it seems more about having a sense of community. Next door is a vegan tattoo shop for (almost) cruelty-free tattoos, if that's your thing.

Be sure to check out the Food Fight blog that they have, it's awesome. http://www.foodfightgrocery.com/

Like I said, I'm new to the blog, but love it already and will be back often.